News Story
November 02, 2017
La Roche AITP Receives the Student Chapter Outstanding Performance Award
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 2, 2017 – CompTIA Association of IT Professionals (AITP) recently awarded La Roche University’s AITP chapter with the Student Chapter Outstanding Performance Award (SCOPA).
CompTIA presents SCOPA annually to student chapters who meet or exceed criteria measures through a points system in five areas: education, membership, public relations, meetings and association participation.
“Not only did we meet the expectations of the association, we exceeded those expectations in three of the five categories,” Assistant Professor and Primary Faculty Advisor of La Roche’s AITP chapter Michaela Noakes, Ed.D., said.
La Roche exceeded in the areas of public relations, meetings and association participation. Former AITP President Joseph Malachosky, current AITP Vice President Johnny Nicholson and Dr. Noakes gathered and submitted data and documentation to meet the criteria in May. This is the first time the University has earned this prestigious award.
The student chapter of AITP at La Roche offers opportunities for students to participate in networking events with local professionals, develop their leadership potential, attend technical and social functions throughout the academic year, and compete in the AITP National Collegiate Conference. Dr. Michaela Noakes, Cristina Bahm, Ph.D., Professor Jane Arnold and Professor Jeffery Perdue are all faculty advisors for the organization.
In the past month, six La Roche students, accompanied by faculty advisor Dr. Bahm, attended the CompTIA AITP Region 18 Conference in Charleston, W.Va. The team split into two groups.
Students Angela Cisneros, Mohammad Sohail and Kenneth Swegman received Honorable Mentions in the Student Networking Design Competition, and students Jigar Prajapati, Antonio Munoz and Hemang Sharma received first place in the Student Programming Competition.
“As far as the CompTIA AITP Region 18 Conference competition is concerned, our student members represented the University professionally and the people at the conference were very impressed by our involvement,” La Roche AITP student chapter President Jigar Prajapati said. “Our supporting advisor, Dr. Cristina Bahm, also did a very good job motivating and guiding us throughout the conference.”
Acquired by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), AITP is the worldwide leading society for IT professionals. The society’s mission is to advance the IT Profession through professional development and by supporting IT education and national policies on IT that improve society as a whole.
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts college in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, six graduate degree programs and one doctoral program, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, and health and medical sciences as well as interior design and graphic design. This residential college provides a vibrant campus community for more than 1,500 men and women enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
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